The Doctor Is In (The Deceptively Casual Music Of Ben Sidran)

Ben Sidran, like Joe Boyd and Todd Rundgren, both of whom have recently been featured in these pages, is another artist who possesses a long and impressive resume of accomplishments and successes. Of the three, Rundgren stands out as the most visible, largely due to his status as a 'rock star.' Producer, Boyd on the other hand, places a solid second in this hierarchy. Although his work has largely been carried out behind the scenes and out of the limelight, the stature of that handy work makes him very much like a 'rock star.' Then there is Ben Sidran, who like Rundgren, straddles both arenas, the performer who graces the stage, and the mysterious man behind curtain, pulling strings to make magic for others. The difference is that Sidran works in the less glamorous or embraced jazz idiom, making him relatively invisible to the public at large, though no less masterful. They are Renaissance men, each and every one. And if they were of a corporate mind set, I'm certain they could easily add 'Captain of Industry' to their CV's as well. Fortunately however, their hearts lay in the art of making music over the quest for making money, the redeeming quality that humanizes them all and keeps them real. So as one who has always considered himself an underachiever, why am I so drawn to these three men and their work, when their paths have been so different from my own? Well, number one, they're fascinating individuals. Intelligent, articulate, forward thinking men with interesting ideas and much to share. Number two, I applaud their accomplishments. Each is multi-talented and has successfully managed to carve out a personal niche for themselves within an industry that is notoriously cutthroat and underhanded. In my encounters with all three, I marvel at how differently we see the world and perceive our places within it. I admire their talent, drive, and tenacity, despite my not taking anything away from those encounters that I would ever risk applying to my own life (which is precisely why I'm an underachiever!). Number three, I like their music. Boyd, as a friend recently said, has produced some of the "most revered recordings in my collection," a sentiment I strongly echo. Rundgren, for whom I additionally hold in high esteem, created a particular suite of music that upon hearing for the first time, touched me so deeply on a visceral level, it actually felt as though he had been reading my mail. As for Sidran? Well, he's an enigma, a riddle that intrigues me. He's the 'thinking man's' jazz musician. A University of Sussex scholar who despite his extraordinary intellect is still able get down to the real nitty gritty and make some genuinely soulful and funky music. And you know what? He also happens to be an extremely nice, down-to-earth guy!

So who is Ben Sidran? Or perhaps more precisely, what is Ben Sidran? Well, he's a singer, a songwriter, a record producer, and a session player. He's also an educator and an author. He holds a PhD. in American Studies, and is a Minerva Award winner from the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. He has been a NPR Radio host, a television host and television producer, the latter of which won him a Peabody Award. Remarkably, he's been married to the same woman for over 40 years, and happens to be one hell of a piano player too! Wow! Ben Sidran is in many ways, the 21st Century personification of the well rounded individual. A multi-talented man with a thirst for new experiences, and who from an early age consciously decided to take control of his destiny and live life to it's fullest, seizing opportunities along the way and running with them.

Of course, a certain degree of self-confidence and drive are necessary to successfully negotiate a career that reads like a road map. "Host a radio show? Yeah, why not?" "Sit in with the Stones next Thursday night? Well, let's see, I have a lecture to attend that evening. Oh, they don't need me until midnight! Well then, yeah sure, why not!?" But these opportunities didn't just drop into his lap. No one's life is that easy. Many are a result of his determination and charming personality, but many more come from his proven track record for tasteful results in the projects with which he's been involved. Those projects include producing the likes of Paul Pena, The Steve Miller Band, Tony Williams, Jon Hendricks, Richie Cole, Sylvester, Mose Allison, Van Morrison, Diana Ross, Chico Hamilton, Johnny Griffin, and Georgie Fame (a partial list). He's contributed his musical talents to records by Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones, Jesse Ed Davis, Gene Clark, Boz Scaggs, and most extensively, Steve Miller, his once frequent collaborator (during Miller's earlier, more rewarding recordings). Sidran has additionally hosted two popular NPR Radio programs, 'Jazz Alive' and 'Sidran on Record,' another award winner. There was also his 3 year run on VH-1 with 'New Visions.' In perhaps his most unusual television gig, he hosted a local late night 'Creature Feature' program with a twist. He screened only Bogart and Cagney movies with no commercial interruption, but before hand, he conducted interviews with a variety of guests, from McCoy Tyner and Dan Hicks, to Jane Fonda and Swami Rama. And do you know what makes all of these accomplishments that much more remarkable? He has effectively managed to balance all of the aforementioned roles from the most unlikely of localities, Madison, Wisconsin! Wow, again!

Madison is hardly the center of the world, and as a result, Sidran is far from being a household name. But Wisconsin is home for Sidran and his family, and it serves him well in his desire to remain a low-key, but influential figure in the music industry. His recordings are not big sellers, but they are testament to his stature among his peers. Check out the roster of players who have contributed their talents to his discography:

Drummers
Tony Williams, Charlie Watts, Peter Erskine, Clyde Stubblefield,
Jim Keltner, Steve Gadd and John Guerin
Bassists
Richard Davis, Phil Upchurch, Eddie Gomez, Chuck Domanico,
Marcus Miller and Abe Laboriel
Guitarists
Larry Carlton, Steve Khan, Peter Frampton, Curley Cooke, Jesse Ed Davis,
Steve Miller, Lee Ritenour and Boz Scaggs
Horn Players
Blue Mitchell, Joe Henderson, Pepper Adams, Frank Rosolino, Richie Cole,
Phil Woods, Michael Brecker,Woody Shaw, David 'Fathead' Newman,
Pete Christlieb, Tom Harrell, Roscoe Mitchell, Bobby Malach,
Frank Morgan and Randy Brecker
Misc
Richard Tee, Mike Mainieri, Mac Rebennack,
and various former members of The Steve Miller Band

And his music? Well, much like his personality, it's casual, but deceptively so. It's melodic, unhurried and relaxed for the most part, but it's not what you'd call 'laid-back' either because it does swing, and it does shuffle, but it never shrieks. His songs are built around easygoing grooves that are simultaneously funky and lowdown, vacillating between the upbeat and the bopish, aptly reflecting his positive energy and optimistic outlook. But to add balance, Sidran injects some wonderful medium tempo numbers into the mix, which are quite clearly where his strengths lay --- where he truly delivers --- not only as a songwriter, but also as a conveyor. Harboring a talent for rueful saloon tunes and unrequested songs of unrequited love, he sings melancholic hard luck tales of woe, busted hearts, and "if only" scenarios. But rather than presenting the stories as though seen through the bottom of a shot glass, he imparts them with just a dash of self deprecating humor, redirecting the outlook to something less cynical and more hopeful. Laughing at the bad in order to see the good, as it were. It's an effective manipulation of form, and one at which he excels. It's also very clever because it warms you to him as a trusted ally. Once you're drawn in, you can't help but like him, because despite his intellect, despite his achievements, despite his charisma, in the end you accept him as just a regular guy, not so different from the stranger sitting next to you at the bar.

The recordings from which I drew for this music mix are all out-of-print domestically, although available as Japanese imports. The remainder of Sidran's catalog however, can still be readily found through the usual sources.

1) Walkin' With The Blues
2) Full Compass
3) Play The Piano
4) Think Twice
5) Have You Heard The News
6) Broad Daylight
7) Nobody's Fool
8) Charlie's Blues
9) Set Yourself Free
10) Let's Make A Deal
11) Minority
12) Lust
13) Back Down On State St.
14) It Don't Pay To Worry Like That
15) When A Woman Says She's Ready
16) That's Life, I Guess
17) Doin' You
18) House Of Blue Lites
19) Ben Sidran's Midnight Tango
20) The Chicken Glide
21) She's Funny That Way

To download, click here.

I've also condensed an hour long interview that I conducted with Sidran for the KRE program, 'The Sound Of The Bay' which I've previously described in the The Jazz/Rock Fusion And Burning Soul Of Brian Auger. It's been whittled down to a more manageable 18 minutes in length, eliminating my questions and leaving Ben to speak for himself. I can briefly be heard at one point, sounding all of 14 years old. People often say it's embarrassing to hear their recorded voices. Try hearing it with roughly 33 years of bad road between then and now.

Sidran Speaks can be downloaded here.

If you'd like more information on Ben, his history, and his music, visit his website for the complete lowdown.